Tying device



G. A. FORD.

TYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION man Nov.1o. 1919.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

.hzih mm .05.28 2.122,

n UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE ALFRED FORD, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

TYING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16', 1921.

To all whom 'it mag/concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE ALFRED F oRn, a citizen of the United States, residing in Kansas City, county of Jackson, and State of Missouri7 have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tying Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tying devices for packages and particularly to tying devices adapted for use by the Post Office Department for tying up packages of letters. Objects of my invention are to provide for the quick tying and untying of the package and to provide a light and inexpensive tying device which can be reused over and and over again, together with other objects and advantages which will hereinafter appear.

I shall now describe t-he tying device embodying my inventionshown in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure l is a plan view of a package of letters tied up with a tying device embody ing my invention.

2 is an elevation as viewed from the right in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l but illustrates an intermediate stage of the tying operation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged central longitudinal section of the tying device with a part of the tie string omitted.

Fig. 5 is a similarly enlarged plan view with the tie stringomitted.

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on a plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Figs. 4 and 5 as viewed from the left and as seen in Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a sheet metal base l has semicircularlv rounded ends and straight side edges. The marginal edges of the base plate l are turned downward all around and are disposed in the same plane and are adapted to come into contact with the surface of a package. so as to have a gripping relation thereon. An outwardly indented annular bead 2 is provided contiguous to and coterminous with one end ofthe base plate l. the flat surface of the plate l within this upraised annular bead 2 being adapted to receive the thumb of the left hand of the operator. A fairly good sized aperture 3 is provided in the base 1 centrally of the annular bead 2, the edges of this aperture 3 serving to grip the thumb of the operator which is permitted the underlying ture. The bead to come into contact with package through this aper- 2 and aperture 3 together provide for the thumb firmly holding the device in place and obviate both the slipping'of the base plate from beneath the thumb or the slipping of the thumb from off the base plate.

At the other end of the base plate l there is provided an elevation or platform forming a buttoncarrying pedestal 4 which rises in a rounded curve from the base plate l and is contiguous to and coterminous with the sides an'd end of the base plate l, this buttoncarrying pedestal 4 being indented outwardly in the sheet metal base plate l. The top of this button-carrying pedestal 4 is shown as flat, excepting at the center thereof there is provided a further elevated part or neck 5 which is indented outwardly from the platform 4. A sheet metal stringholding button 6 is convex on its lower side so as to be substantially of saucer shape and is firmly secured by means of a tubular rivet 7 upon the top of the neck 5.

Upwardly indented straight beads or ribs 8 extend along the side edges of the basey plate l and merge into and join the annular thumb-retaining bead 2 and the rounded edge of the elevated button-carrying platform or pedestal 4. The annular bead 2. the button-carrying elevation or pedestal 4, and the straight side ribs or beads 8 coperate to provide the downwardly turned gripping edges on the base plate l, hereinbefore mentioned. The side ribs or beads 8 are shown as of the same height or elevation as the annular bead 2 while the fiat top part of the lnitton-carrying platform or pedestal 4 is at a somewhat greater height. A tie string 9 is knotted at one end and passes downward through the tubular rivet or eyclet 7 and is adapted, in the tying operation. to be wound about a package and secured by means of the string-holding button 6. In the dra-wings the tying device of my invention is shown as made use of to tie up a package of letters l0 upon which a usual destination slip ll has been placed.

In the tying operation the device is placed centrally upon a package of letters at an angle of about forty-tive degrees. as shown in Fig. 3. and is firmly held in place by the thumb of the left hand pressing within the space inclosed by the annular bead 2. The string 9 is then wound forwardly over and around the package lengthwise and a threein Figs. land 2. Should the package of letters be small, any surplus string may be wound around the package and then fastened by a final winding about the button 6; or, if preferred, the string may be wound initially several times around the package without winding about the button, and then the end fastened by winding about the button. After the tying is `completed and the thumb is removed, the tension on the taut string 9 will twist the base platelaround from the initial oblique position thereof shown in Fig. 3 to substantially the longi-4 thereof shown inv Figs. 1

tudinal position f and 2. For untying a package the tying operation is substantially reversed.

The following more important advantages may be noted as resulting from the hereinbefore described construction. The base plate l rests tlatly'upon the package of letters and the downturned edges thereof grip and have a firmhold on the package, pre-' venting slipping in the tying operation. The rounded marginal surfacespro-duced by the downturned gripping edges preclude any providing for easily and l button may be always in direction, .isa convenience which shortens of injury to the hand in the tying operation. The raised position of the stringholding button 6, on the platform 'or'pedestal 4f greatly facilitates the tying operation, Y quickly winding the string about'the string-holding button 6. The fact that the winding of the string around the package and also around the the same-clockwise possibility the time of the tying operation, no reversal of movement of the hand being required. During the winding and string-fastening operation the thumb of theleftvhand which holds the base plate l in place isentirely out of the way, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 43, so that the string will not be wound over the thumbV nor will the thumbv obstruct the winding 'of the string around the string-holding button.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in being the drawings and above particularly described withinthe principle and scope of my invention.

l claim:

l. A tying device comprising an elongated base plate having downwardly projecting portions adapted to lie upon the package being tied to hold the device against twisting, and having at one end thereof an elevated part forming a button-carrying pedestal, and a string-holding button carried upon the top of said pedestal.

2. A tying Vdevice comprising an elongated base plate having. downwardly projecting portions adapted to lie upon the package be ing tied to hold the device against twisting and other projections forming at one end a thumb hold and having at the other end thereof an outwardly indented part forniing a button-carrying pedestal, and astringholding button carried upon the topv of said pedestal.

3. A tying device comprising an elongated base plate having its ends rounded and its edges all around turned downward and disposed in the same plane so as to rest in gripping relationupona package to hold the device against twisting during the tying of the of said button-'carrying elevation, and aV string-holding button carried ton-carrying elevation.

4f. A tying device comprising an elongated base plate provided adjacent to one end thereof with a thumb-gripping and thumbretaining aperture, a string-holding button carried by the base plate on its upper side by said but- Vadjacent to the otherend thereof, and a tie string secured at one of its ends to the button-carrying end of the base plate and adapted to be wound about the package and secured by means of said button, and gripping projections projecting from thebottom adapted to lie flat upon the package and hold the device against twisting during tying of the package. e e

ln testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

GEORGE ALFRED FORD.

down edgesl beingL 

